Kirsty

How did you find your fundraising experience? Deciding to fundraise for SLV.Global was one of my greatest decisions. Not only did it help spread awareness to friends and family about what I would be doing in Sri Lanka, but it also gave them the chance to support that work.

Not only this but my decision to raise the money by completing a 10k run meant that I was exercising regularly and this had excellent results for my own mental health and wellbeing. Not only that but it gave me a goal to achieve before I got to start my placement, which was so rewarding to achieve before I had even got to Sri Lanka. It also meant I appreciated my placement that little bit more, due to the hard work I had done prior to starting - alongside the fact that I now knew how many people supported the work I would be doing there.I would recommend to anyone who is lucky enough to receive a placement to fundraise!!

What did you find most effective? Ensuring all those I asked knew exactly what I needed the funds for - essentially I was going to be helping those in need in a developing country and so people were willing to help get me there. Keeping people aware of my campaign - I circulated any updates on social media as I realised this was the most efficient way for people to access the information.

What are your top tips?•Keep information as clear as possible - people will only sponsor you if they understand what it is that you will be doing.•Have an achievable financial target - don't purely rely on fundraising and make sure you save as a back up!•Enjoy it - see it as a chance to achieve a goal whilst waiting to start your placement.